Partially-sighted man: 'Potholes in Astley Bridge are making my life even harder'

A PARTIALLY-sighted man who is dependent on a guide dog says potholes in the road where he lives are making his life even more difficult.

Lee Hacking, of Cameron Street, Astley Bridge, says the risk of damage to his mobility car, which is driven by his relatives, means it cannot be parked in the driveway — and he is forced to rush to get his dog and himself into the car while it is parked on the road.

He added cars are forced to drive on the pavement to avoid the potholes.

The 49-year-old — whose vision is reduced to just 10 per cent — said he complained to the council more than 30 days ago after the pothole outside his house reappeared after being repaired in November of last year when it damaged his car.

Town Hall chiefs said they would see how the road could be improved.

Mr Hacking said: “A couple of weeks ago I got soaked when walking to the shops after a car went in to a pothole and splashed me.”

The father-of-four grown-up children said that cars are being forced to go on the path to avoid the potholes and cars parked on the other side force vehicles on to the one side of the road making the damage worse.

Mr Hacking added: “Now the car has to be parked up the road outside my son-in-law’s house and he has to drive down and I have to rush to get into the car.

“If it was on my driveway I would have time to settle my dog and get in rather than getting into the car on the road.

He added: “There are a number of potholes on the road and they are just getting bigger. A car is going to be badly damaged.

“When my tyre was damaged in November, the council came out that same night to repair it.”

Mr Cameron said he would also be asking the council to transform the land at the end of the street into a car park for local residents to help resolve parking congestion on the street.

A survey published last year by the Department of Transport revealed that the borough’s “unclassified” roads, which are mainly residential, were the fourth worst out of 116 local authorities.